Florida State Paramedic Practice Exam

What does a heart rate of 130 in a hypotensive patient typically indicate?

1. Parasympathetic response

2. Compensatory mechanism

3. Impending cardiac failure

4. Severe bradycardia

The correct answer is: Compensatory mechanism

A heart rate of 130 beats per minute in a hypotensive patient typically indicates a compensatory mechanism. When blood pressure drops, the body activates compensatory responses to maintain adequate blood flow and oxygen delivery to vital organs. One of these responses is an increase in heart rate, which helps to boost cardiac output despite the lower blood pressure. This compensatory tachycardia is a direct result of baroreceptor activation and the release of catecholamines, which stimulate the heart to pump faster in an attempt to counteract the hypotension. The body's goal is to restore homeostasis and prevent organ damage due to inadequate perfusion. In contrast, a parasympathetic response would lead to a decrease in heart rate, and impending cardiac failure would more commonly present with a number of other symptoms and does not primarily reflect a compensatory increase in heart rate. Severe bradycardia signifies a slow heart rate, directly contradicting the described 130 beats per minute, and is inconsistent with the scenario of a hypotensive patient.